This invention relates to a retaining means for a yarn-type wet mop head, and more particularly relates to a pivoting jaw type of retaining means.
With increasing costs of materials, and a desire to minimize such costs particularly in industrial or commercial cleaning services, it is a common practice to use retaining means which will permit replacing mop heads on their support handles. This enables removal of the mop head for cleaning, or for replacement when worn or no longer usable. In this way a common handle and retaining means for the mop head is provided for a sequence of mop heads.
The present invention relates to a mop head retaining means for a yarn-type wet mop head of the type having a shank for connection to a mop handle, an elongated body secured at its middle to the shank and a jaw cooperating with and pivoting with respect to the body to releasably grip and retain the mop head yarn between the jaw and the body. Know constructions of this general type are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,581 of Oas issued July 29, 1969; U.S. Pat. No. 3,735,441 of Shortte, Jr. issued May 29, 1973; U.S. Pat. No. 2,568,218 of Campbell issued Sept. 18, 1951; U.S. Pat. No. 3,398,420 of Manning issued Aug. 27, 1968; U.S. Pat. No. 3,681,810 of Vosbikian, Jr. issued Aug. 8, 1972; U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,843 of Comito issued June 8, 1948; Canadian Pat. No. 530,706 of Trindl issued Sept. 25, 1956; Canadian Pat. No. 16,174 of Lee issued 1883; Canadian Pat. No. 85,266 of Doeblin issued Feb. 9, 1904; Canadian Pat. No. 214,131 of Sundermann, Jr. issued Nov. 8, 1921; Canadian Pat. No. 256,272 of Hashimoto issued Dec. 15, 1925 and Canadian Pat. No. 637,116 of Friar issued Feb. 27, 1962.
Many of these constructions require fairly complicated mechanical means for securing the free end of the jaw to the main body of the retaining means. These constructions often require metal components which tend with time to corrode and reduce efficient operation of the jaw release mechanisms and the jaw themselves. The more moving parts such devices have, the more such problems are compounded. Because of the nature of the jaw securing means for such prior art devices, the jaws are often times constructed with curved or bent ends which require some handling or manipulation of the mop head yarns when inserting or removing the mop head. Such constructions may require the user to actually handle the mop yarns in order to remove them from the open jaw--a task which may be unpleasant or distasteful. One such prior art mop holder which does not have such a problem is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,457,581 of Oas. There a straight, elongated jaw is pivotably attached at one end to an elongated body, and is secured at the other end by a knob-like fastener which fits into a slot in the side of a corresponding portion of the body. While the straight jaw of this Oas device permits the jaw to be opened and the mop yarn to be removed with no obstructions, the knob-like fastener requires a certain degree of manipulation by the user for fastening and unfastening of that free end of the jaw. It is also exposed, as are the jaw fasteners of the previously referred to devices, such that it would be subjected to knocks and bumps from furniture, etc., during use which might tend to dislodge such fasteners and unintentionally open the jaw such that the mop head yarns would be released.
Other references of background interest are U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,092 of Siemund issued Jan. 22, 1963 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,509 of Chase issued Feb. 8, 1977 which patents illustrate other constructions of jaw-type retainers for yarn-type mop heads.
Consequently an object of the present invention is to provide a pivoting jaw retaining means for a yarn-type wet mop head which may be preferably made of non-corrosive plastic components and which permits ready insertion and removal of the mop head with minimal user contact and manipulation. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a retainer having a straight jaw to enable ready removal of the yarn, while at the same time providing a jaw release mechanism which is both difficult to unintentionaly operate for disengagement, and which is aethestically pleasing to the eye.